Blog

Real Salt Lake and the Houston Dynamo meet in a crucial interconference match for both clubs on Saturday evening at Rio Tinto Stadium. Still holders of the league’s best overall record, RSL haven’t won in three league games, returning home off a 2-2 draw at the Colorado Rapids last weekend – but advanced to the U.S. Open Cup final at midweek. The Dynamo are still hanging on to fifth place in the Eastern Conference after a four-game unbeaten run, coming off a 3-1 home win against Columbus.

Weaver's late insurance goal in the Dynamo's win at BBVA Compass Stadium took home this week's award after earning a little more than 47 percent of the vote. Weaver found the top corner of the Crew's goal in the 85th minute, hitting a beautiful shot with the outside part of his right foot after teammate Will Bruin knocked down a cross in his direction.

Seattle Sounders forward Obafemi Martins came in second place with about 29 percent of all votes.

Dynamo forward Will Bruin is set for his 75th career regular season game on Saturday at Real Salt Lake. With the third-year striker set to reach the early milestone, it is worth comparing his early career to Dynamo legend Dwayne De Rosario.

The Canadian playmaker helped the Dynamo win consecutive MLS Cups in 2006 and 2007 and was an MLS Best XI selection in both seasons. De Rosario was also the 2007 MLS Cup MVP after scoring the game-winning goal for a 2-1 win. De Rosario has had one of the best careers in league history, with 102 goals and 315 appearances in a 13-year career that includes the 2011 MLS MVP award.

De Rosario spent three seasons with the Dynamo, 2006-2008. Bruin is in his third year with Houston after Dominic Kinnear traded up to select him in the first round of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft.

Here are the regular season numbers for each player in their time with the Dynamo:

Player

Games played

Games started

Minutes

Goals

Assists

Shots

Shots on goal

Dwayne De Rosario

78

73

6,455

24

11

195

84

Will Bruin

74

69

5,658

22

10

181

72

The numbers are remarkably similar (with an understanding that De Rosario was primarily an attacking midfielder and Bruin a forward). Bruin has nearly accumulated identical goals and assist totals over a similar number of games. Here is a scenario: If Bruin starts the next four games and has two goals and an assist during that span, he will have an identical statistical line to De Rosario after 78 games with Houston: 78 games, 73 starts, 24 goals and 11 assists.

In the playoffs, the story is similar. De Rosario scored two goals and provided four assists in ten career playoff games with Houston (all starts). Bruin has four goals and one assist in nine career playoff games (six starts).

Moreover, from the 2011 MLS SuperDraft class, no player has scored more goals (22) or tallied more assists (10) than Bruin. Only four players, Perry Kitchen (84 games), Darlington Nagbe (83), Jalil Anibaba (83) and C.J. Sapong (80) have appeared in more games. Sapong is second to Bruin from the 2011 class with 15 goals.

Newest Dynamo signingAlexander López sat down with Honduran newspaper Diez recently and offered his 10 favorite memories of his career thus far. His final pick? The transfer to the Dynamo. Here's what the midfielder had to say (translated):

I took the whole thing with composure. At first, though, I was surprised by the fact that Olimpia gave me the opportunity to leave. In Houston I’ll be wearing #10, which not only motivates me, but also creates a commitment to play well in each and every game.

Dynamo broadcaster Glenn Davis is back on the air tonight with a new episode of Dynamo All-Access, presented by Houston Community College. The show will be LIVE from Richmond Arms with Dynamo players Calen Carr, Mike Chabala and Anthony Arena! It will air on Yahoo! Sports Radio 1560 AM from 7-9 p.m.

Come on out to Richmond Arms and meet your favorite players and talk everything Dynamo with Glenn Davis.

Dynamo midfielder Boniek Garcia is certainly rounding into form this season, and his performance last weekend against the Columbus Crew earned him Team of the Week honors from MLSsoccer.com. Here's what they had to say about him:

Had a dominant showing on Houston's right flank in their 3-1 win over the Columbus Crew, helping set up two goals as he showed the form that made him one of signings of the season last year.

The smiling Honduran was surely happy with the team's result on Saturday, and again yesterday with the news of former Olimpia teammate Alexander López joining the Dynamo yesterday.

The Austin Aztex, coached by former Dynamo forward Paul Dalglish, won their first Player Development League title on Sunday, overcoming an early deficit for a 3-1 win over the Thunder Bay Chill in the 2013 PDL Championship Game. Sito Seoane scored twice and added an assist to earn MVP honors for the title game. The Aztex finished the season with an impressive 15-1-2 record.

The championship capped a marvelous season for Dalglish, who was named PDL Coach of the Year on Saturday. Dalglish’s squad had an extraordinary 38-8 goal difference this season, with just eight goals against in 14 regular season games.

Dalglish, 36, spent two seasons with the Dynamo, winning consecutive MLS Cup titles in 2006 and 2007. Dalglish inserted his name in early franchise lore on November 5, 2006, when he scored two goals in a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids in the Western Conference Championship. Dalglish is one of three players in club history to score two goals in a playoff game, later joined by Brian Ching (2007 Western Conference semifinal vs. FC Dallas) and Will Bruin (2012 Knockout Round vs. Chicago).

Moreover, Austin native Kristopher Tyrpak was named PDL Most Valuable Player of the Year. Tyrpak, a forward at Houston Baptist University, had 9 goals and 19 assists for the Aztex this season.

After a season of strong attendance, a home crowd of 4,253 filled House Park on Sunday night as the largest for the PDL Championship Game since 2007. The Aztex also led the PDL in attendance this season, with an average crowd of 2,048 at House Park.